MUSI 1310:  American Music

September 23 - December 15, 2024      Fall Semester, 12 week class

COURSE SYLLABUS AND POLICIES

COURSE DESCRIPTION

This 12-week course is a survey of various styles of popular and classical music from America’s Colonial days to present.  With emphasis on stylistic developments and general historical background, this course will also examine the influence of music on the American culture.  Content includes surveys of psalmody, concert life, European, Latin and African influences, and the social conditions that produced what is known as American Musical Hybridity.

PREREQUISITES

There are no prerequisites for this course.

OFFICE HOURS

Professor will be available to assist students through email conversations or virtual meetings by appointments.  All the course materials and assignments can be found in the class BlackBoard (ACC’s learning management system).  Students are expected and required to submit their assignments digitally through the designated portals.

COURSE OBJECTIVES/OUTCOMES

Learning Objectives:

Identify the vast number of genres alive in American Music historically and in modern day.

Discuss the influences contributing to today’s American Musical Hybridity.

Identify the "families" of musical instruments and the typical sounds of each.

Broaden students’ concepts of musical arts in America.

To increase students’ awareness of the ways in which American music influences society - social relationships, social patterns, social interaction, and social awareness- and vice-versa.

Summarize the musical evolution and development of American music styles.

Student Learning Outcomes—upon successful completion of this class students should develop:

Knowledge of the basic elements of American Classical and Popular Music.

Knowledge of music styles and music artists in American music.

Ability to aurally recognize styles/genres of American music.

Understand the processes involved in the development of American music.

Relationship between American and world music influences.

REQUIRED COURSE MATERIALS

The textbook used for this course is An Introduction to America’s Music, 3rd edition, by Richard Crawford and Larry Hamberlin.  Students who are registered in the course can access the textbook and music examples through the course BlackBoard.  Please click on the “First Day Course Materials” tab on the left column in the course BlackBoard.

ASSIGNMENTS & GRADE BREAKDOWN

The grades in the course depend exclusively on the points scored by the students on the following:  chapter review quizzes, discussion forum posts, listening exam, and concert report.  Grades will be posted under “My Grades” in the class BlackBoard for students’ access and review. 

• Chapter quizzes:  30%. 

Chapter quizzes MUST be completed through Blackboard.  It can be found under “Course Content” tab.  Due dates are listed in coursework schedule, coursework checklists, and you will receive reminders on the Blackboard Announcements.  Late submission will receive 50% credit.

• Concert report:  40%.

Students must attend ONE FULL-LENGTH live music concerts and submit a review for each concert.  Concert report MUST be submitted electronically through BlackBoard as pdf files and check by SafeAssign for originality.  No more than 25% of the content of your reports should match the database.  Further instructions are available under “Concert Assignments” tab in the class Blackboard.  Using IA or copying from another paper will result in an automatic 0 for the assignment.  

• Discussion Forum:  30%.

Discussion forum can be accessed through the “Discussion Forum” tab.  It is designed as a synchronized discussion platform for students to interact.  Students are required to make 2 posts in prose form with 50-100 words per post.  Further instructions can be found with each specific forum in the BlackBoard.  No makeups are allowed in the forum after the deadline has passed.  Please observe the deadline mindfully. 

IMPORTANT, PLEASE NOTE: 

1. Students are expected and responsible for completing all the coursework and assignments on time.  Deadlines for assignments are shown in the Coursework Schedule.  It will also be announced in class and stated in announcement.  Late submission will receive 50% credit only.  Students are encouraged to contact the professor and discuss any issues with her regarding assignments. 
2. If reports are submitted in a format which is NOT compatible with the system will automatically receive “0” for the grade. (send it as a PDF)
3. Assignments will be graded within two weeks after the due dates. 
4. Students who are not making progress in the course may be dropped from the course at the discretion of the professor. 
5. All the work and assignments need to be completed by 12/10/2023 (the last class day).  Your grades will be calculated, posted on BlackBoard for review, then reported to the university.

USE OF ACC EMAIL

All classes and college e-mail communication to students will be sent solely to the student’s ACCmail account, with the expectation that such communications will be read in a timely fashion.  ACC will send important information and will notify students of any college- related emergencies using this account.  Students should only expect to receive email communication from their professor using this account.  Likewise, students should use their ACCmail account when communicating with professors and staff.  Information about ACC email accounts, including instructions for accessing it, are available at: http://www.austincc.edu/help/accmail/questions-and-answers

WITHDRAWAL

It is the responsibility of each student to ensure that his or her name is removed from the rolls should he or she decide to withdraw from the class.  The professor does, however, reserve the right to drop a student should she feel it is necessary.  If a student decides to withdraw, he or she should also verify that the withdrawal is submitted before the Final Withdrawal Date.  The Final Withdrawal Date for this semester is 11/16/2023.  The student is also strongly encouraged to keep any paperwork in case a problem arises.

Students are responsible for understanding the impact that withdrawal from a course may have on their financial aid, veterans’ benefits, and international student status.  Per state law, students enrolling for the first time in Fall 2007 or later at any public Texas college or university may not withdraw (receive a “W”) from more than six courses during their undergraduate college education.  Some exemptions for good cause could allow a student to withdraw from a course without having it count toward this limit.  Students are strongly encouraged to meet with a advisor when making decisions about course selection, course loads, and course withdrawals.

INCOMPLETES

An Incomplete may not be used as a shelter from a potentially low grade in the class.  A student may qualify for an “I” (Incomplete) at the end of the semester only if ALL of the following conditions are satisfied:

1.  The student is unable to complete the course during the semester due to documented extenuating circumstances.

2.  The student must have earned at least the grade points needed for a “C” by the end of the semester.

3.  The request for the grade must be made in writing (via email) to the instructor a minimum of two weeks prior to the end of the semester and necessary documents completed.

4.  To remove an “I”, the student must complete the stipulations of the Incomplete contract signed with the instructor no later than two weeks prior to the end of the next semester.  Failure to do so will result in the grade automatically reverting to an “F”.

Students are strongly encouraged to contact the professor

and seek assistance before 12/10/2023

STATEMENT ON STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES

Students with Accommodations must alert the instructor and provide them a copy of the “Notice of Approved Accommodations” by the end of the first week of classes (09/22/2023).  Each ACC campus offers support services for students with documented disabilities.  Students with disabilities who need classroom, academic or other accommodations must request them through the Student Accessibility Services Office (SAS).  Students are encouraged to request accommodations when they register for courses or at least three weeks before the start of the semester, otherwise the provision of accommodations may be delayed.  

Students who have received approval for accommodations from SAS for this course must provide the instructor with the ‘Notice of Approved Accommodations’ from SAS before accommodations will be provided.   Arrangements for academic accommodations can only be made after the instructor receives the ‘Notice of Approved Accommodations’ from the student.  

Students with approved accommodations are encouraged to submit the ‘Notice of Approved Accommodations’ to the instructor at the beginning of the semester because a reasonable amount of time may be needed to prepare and arrange for the accommodations.   

Additional information about the Office for Students with Disabilities is available at https://www.austincc.edu/offices/student-accessibility-services-and-assistive-technology

SCHOLASTIC DISHONESTY

A student attending ACC assumes responsibility for conduct compatible with the mission of the college as an educational institution.  Students have the responsibility to submit coursework that is the result of their own thought, research, or self-expression.  Students must follow all instructions given by faculty or designated college representatives when taking examinations, placement assessments, tests, quizzes, and evaluations.  Actions constituting scholastic dishonesty include, but are not limited to, plagiarism, cheating, fabrication, collusion, and falsifying documents.  Penalties for scholastic dishonesty will depend upon the nature of the violation and may range from lowering a grade on one assignment to an “F” in the course and/or expulsion from the college.  See the Student Standards of Conduct and Disciplinary Process and other policies at http://www.austincc.edu/current/needtoknow
 

ACADEMIC FREEDOM

Institutions of higher education are conducted for the common good.  The common good depends upon a free search for truth and its free expression.  Hence it is essential that faculty members at Austin Community College be free to pursue scholarly inquiry without unreasonable restriction, and to voice and publish their conclusions without fear of institutional censorship or discipline.  They must be free from the possibility that others of differing vision, either inside or outside the college community, may threaten their professional careers.

The concept of academic freedom in Austin Community College is accompanied by an equally demanding concept of responsibility, shared by the Board of Trustee, administration, and faculty members.

The essential responsibilities of the Board of Trustees and administrators regarding academic freedom are set forth in the Criteria For Accreditation, adopted by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, as updated and revised.

In the classroom or in college-produced telecommunications, faculty members should strive to be accurate, to exercise appropriate restraint, and to show respect for the opinions of others.  In addition, instructors should be judicious in the use of material and should introduce only material that has a clear relationship to the subject field.

STUDENT RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Students at the college have the rights accorded by the U.S. Constitution to freedom of speech, peaceful assembly, petition, and association.  These rights carry with them the responsibility to accord the same rights to others in the college community and not to interfere with or disrupt the educational process. Opportunity for students to examine and question pertinent data and assumptions of a given discipline, guided by the evidence of scholarly research, is appropriate in a learning environment.  This concept is accompanied by an equally demanding concept of responsibility on the part of the student.  As willing partners in learning, students must comply with college rules and procedures. 

Student Discipline:  Austin Community College students are recognized as responsible persons who neither lose the rights nor escape responsibilities of citizenship.  Enrollment in the College indicates acceptance of the rules set forth in Administrative Rule 4.02.010 concerning disciplinary action.  Due process through an investigation and appeal process is assured to any student involved in disciplinary action.

STUDENT’S FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION

Each student is strongly encouraged to participate in the discussion forum.  In any classroom (including online courses) situation that includes discussion and critical thinking, there are bound to be many differing viewpoints.  These differences enhance the learning experience and create an atmosphere where students and instructor alike will be encouraged to think and learn.  On sensitive and volatile topics, students may sometimes disagree not only with each other but also with the instructor.  It expected that faculty and students will respect the views of others when expressed in classroom discussions.

The textbook used for this course is An Introduction to America’s Music, 3rd edition, by Richard Crawford and Larry Hamberlin.  Students who are registered in the course can access the textbook and music examples through the course BlackBoard.  Please click on the “First Day Course Materials” tab on the left column in the course BlackBoard.

This 12-week course is a survey of various styles of popular and classical music from America’s Colonial days to present.  With emphasis on stylistic developments and general historical background, this course will also examine the influence of music on the American culture.  Content includes surveys of psalmody, concert life, European, Latin and African influences, and the social conditions that produced what is known as American Musical Hybridity.

Learning Objectives:

Identify the vast number of genres alive in American Music historically and in modern day.

Discuss the influences contributing to today’s American Musical Hybridity.

Identify the "families" of musical instruments and the typical sounds of each.

Broaden students’ concepts of musical arts in America.

To increase students’ awareness of the ways in which American music influences society - social relationships, social patterns, social interaction, and social awareness- and vice-versa.

Summarize the musical evolution and development of American music styles.

Student Learning Outcomes—upon successful completion of this class students should develop:

Knowledge of the basic elements of American Classical and Popular Music.

Knowledge of music styles and music artists in American music.

Ability to aurally recognize styles/genres of American music.

Understand the processes involved in the development of American music.

Relationship between American and world music influences.